"Choosing Joy is a radical decision to honor God by experiencing the depths of God's promises to us. It's desiring Him above all else, rejoicing in His character, and living joyfully, according to His Word."
-Choosing Joy, Angela Thomas
I am excited this morning at the prospect of 2012. I woke up today at 5:30 am (thank you, Gracie dog!) and walked that silly pooch. It was cold and foggy so I kept it short. I came home and poured some coffee. I sat down at the computer, having some guilt that I didn't first sit down with my flashlight and Bible. However, God met me! I clicked on my favorite blog and was so inspired!
Ann Voskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts, is doing a Joy Dare. Each day, list 3 things you are thankful for. It will change your life. I have actually been working on my list....one a day, 10 a day, 5 a day...whatever....since finishing her book in September. I cannot express enough how much I love that book!
There have been days where listing my gifts from God are so easy. The pen keeps flowing, my heart is overwhelmed. There are other days where it just feels like a ritual.
Today, I read (on the same blog) a quote by Aristotle.
We are what we continually do.
That's a pretty powerful statement! So, I guess as long as I'm listing my gifts....I am becoming more and more grateful. That is what I want. Becoming more and more thankful every day will drive out fear, worry, "control", stress and discontentment....along with a host of other unlovely characteristics I see in myself often.
I am expectant.
Please, feel free to join me in this Joy Dare! Ann offers a really cool free printable on her blog that gives you ideas of 3 things each day to list. Today is January 6. She says to list: one thing in your bag, your fridge, your heart.
You can post your list on her website, on her fb page or even on twitter.
Or, you can keep a simple hand-written list in your journal. Whatever you decide, I hope you will join with me.
He deserves all my thanks and it’s impossible to give thanks and simultaneously feel fear.
Ann Voskamp
3 comments:
i love when the right, most perfect words meet us exactly where we are with what we need. i've been thinking a lot about how what we think & believe makes us who we are. i gratitude journal within my 'regular' journal, but i decided with her prompting yesterday to open up a new book of mine just for that. easier to look back on and share. what's one more book to add to the stack? :) xo
That's good Kelly! Great encouragement!
One of the leaders of our church counseled us to do the same thing back in 2007 and I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I'll share his insight with you: http://lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/o-remember-remember?lang=eng It's counsel I'm beginning to try harder to follow now. How neat that that is advice you can find no matter what Christian denomination you follow. It must be something that Christ really wants us all to learn, huh? Good luck to both of us as we strive to follow and be happier and more grateful people. :D
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